Blood and Roses || Lee Taeyong

Chapter 25 | "just enjoy"

Chaerin still couldn't believe what had happened the previous night, a strange feeling in her heart. For the first time in a long time, she was really thinking hard about her relationship with Hansol, the slightest bit of genuine doubt clouding her head at Taeyong's words.

He wasn't completely wrong about things. It would be nice to have someone pick her first every time. And Taeyong was certainly compatible with her. Wasn't there something about him that drew her in? Something that made her heart race in a terrifying but amazing way? What would it be like if she was by his side...

She shook off the thought, forcing herself to focus on the studying she had to do. With only three weeks left before graduation, she had all her finals the next week and was determined to utilize the weekend to prepare.

After getting involved with the gang, she hadn't spent enough time on her studies, and being the competitive nerd she was, she was not about to lose her position as valedictorian this close to graduation.

She read through her notes, highlighting and bookmarking important points to be sure to memories, feeling her brain physically sore from the onslaught of information she was forcing into it.

"Afternoon, lovely."

She quickly turned in her seat, seeing Taeyong leaning on her doorframe. She felt her heartbeat quicken for a moment but shook it off, forcing herself back to her studies.

"Hi, Taeyong, I'm a bit busy at the moment."

"I can see that." He said with a nod, pulling up a seat beside her. "Studying for finals, hmm? That's why you haven't been downstairs all day."

"Yeah, next week is going to be a living hell for me so I might as well try to do whatever I can to make it somewhat tolerable."

"Well, I'm no help in the study department." He said with a chuckle. "But I figure it'll be easier for you to study with some fuel."

She turned to him as he held up a warm mug of coffee for her, made exactly the way she liked it. A smile made its way onto her face as she hungrily took the cup from him.

"Thank you, I really needed this." She said with a grateful smile.

"No, what you need is some real food. And a break." He stood up from his seat and motioned to the table where there were two bowls of ramen waiting for them. "Care to join me?"

She glanced down at her notebook, fighting an internal battle which was promptly ended by the rumbling from her stomach.

"You always know just what to do, don't you?" She said with a laugh, standing up and walking over to the table with him.

"It's my specialty." He nodded, taking a seat across from her. "So... have you talked to Hansol at all?"

Chaerin stiffened up at the question, clearing her throat before shaking her head.

"No. He hasn't reached out and he didn't talk to me yesterday either."

"Well you know what I think about that...."

"Taeyong... I appreciate everything you've done and said to me, but I don't know what to feel about all this. I'm just not ready, I'm not there yet." She said with a sigh, the apology clear on her face.

"I know you're not, and that's okay. I'm willing to wait for you until you're there. For now, let's just enjoy friends" he said with a smile, passing her a pair of chopsticks.

She nodded, touched by how understanding he was as the two of them changed subjects and began to talk over their meal.

- - -

Chaerin had spent the rest of the weekend studying for finals. Sometimes alone, sometimes with the other four guys, but most often with Taeyong sitting next to her, watching her study and helping when he could.

He loved watching the way her face would light up when she got a correct answer while he quizzed her, or the way she would go off on small excited tangents when he asked her about things. Even though he had a degree in business and knew nothing about forensics or cyber engineering, he listened to her carefully with a smile on his face.

"Morning, loves." He said when Chaerin walked into the kitchen on Monday. "Coffee?"

She nodded eagerly as he slid her a cup.

"Thanks, Tae."

"Mmhmm." He hummed with a smile, watching her eagerly down the drink. "So, you have your first set of finals today, right?"

"That's right. Wish me luck." She sighed, her shoulders tense with nervousness.

"You don't need it, you're more than prepared." He said with a smile. "It's Monday so that means... analytical biochem, material engineering, and data structures, right?"

"Yup, that's the schedule for today's three cycles of hell." She groaned out, already reviewing facts for the three major exams she had coming up.

"Aw come on, you're gonna kill it. Those are three of your strongest classes." He said with a smile, giving her shoulder a quick squeeze. "How about this, after you're done, I'll come pick you up and we can go get celebratory ice cream for finishing your first set of finals before we come back here and study. Sound good?"

"Sounds great." She said with a nod, looking down to check the time. "I have to get going, but I'll see you after!" She called, grabbing her bag and heading to the door.

"See you soon."